Combination cabinet

ABSTRACT

A combination cabinet has a rear panel, two side panels, a front panel and a top panel. The rear panel has a top and two side edges. The side panels are connected respectively to the side edges of the rear panel. Each side panel has a top and a side edge opposite to the rear panel. The front panel is attached to the side edges of the side panels and has a top. The top panel is attached to the tops of the front, rear and side panels. The side panels are connected to the rear panel and the front panel with a single kind of detachable fastening devices. Each detachable fastening device has a male member and a female member combined detachably with each other. Accordingly, the combination cabinet is easy and convenient in assembling with a single kind of fastening devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cabinet, and more particularly to acombination cabinet having multiple panels assembled with a single kindof detachable fastening devices.

2. Description of Related Art

Combination furniture is popular due to ease and convenience inassembling and disassembling and is widely used. To assemble componentsof conventional combination furniture, multiple fastening devices indifferent structures are always used. Therefore, different kinds offastening devices have to be prepared, but this is costly and causetrouble in assembling the conventional combination furniture.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides acombination cabinet to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the invention is to provide a combination cabinetthat is easy and convenient in assembling.

The combination cabinet has a rear panel, two side panels, a front paneland a top panel. The rear panel has a top and two side edges. The sidepanels are connected respectively to the side edges of the rear panel.Each side panel has a top and a side edge opposite to the rear panel.The front panel is attached to the side edges of the side panels and hasa top. The top panel is attached to the tops of the front, rear and sidepanels. The side panels are connected to the rear panel and the frontpanel with a single kind of detachable fastening devices. Eachdetachable fastening device has a male member and a female membercombined detachably with each other.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of acombination cabinet in accordance with the present invention, wherein adrawer chest is shown;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of acombination cabinet in accordance with the present invention, wherein adouble dresser is shown;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a combinationcabinet in accordance with the present invention, wherein a combo isshown;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a combinationcabinet in accordance with the present invention, wherein a hutch isshown;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a combinationcabinet in accordance with the present invention, wherein a wardrobe isshown;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the combination cabinet inFIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the rear panel andone side panel with a first embodiment of a fastening device of thecombination cabinet in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of afastening device for a combination cabinet in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional top view of the fastening device in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a top view in partial section of the assembling blocks on thefront panel with the rear panel and one side panel of the combinationfurniture in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of afastening device for a combination cabinet in accordance with thepresent invention; and

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional top view of the fastening device in FIG.11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, a combination cabinet 10 in accordancewith the present invention may be a drawer chest as shown in FIG. 1, adouble dresser as shown in FIG. 2, a combo as shown in FIG. 3, a hutchas shown in FIG. 4 or a wardrobe as shown in FIG. 5. In the followingdescription, the drawer chest severs as an example for describing thecombination cabinet 10 in accordance with the present invention.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, the combination cabinet 10 inaccordance with the present invention comprises a rear panel 11, twoside panels 12, a front panel 13 and a top panel 14 and may comprise atleast one drawer 16. The rear panel 11 has a top and two side edges. Theside panels 12 are connected respectively to the side edges of the rearpanel 11. Each side panel 12 has a top and a side edge opposite to therear panel 11. The front panel 13 is attached to the side edges of theside panels 12 to define a space between the panels 11,12,13 for storingobjects, such as cloths or the like. The front panel 13 has a top andmay be opened, such that drawers 16 can be held in the space defined bythe panels 11,12,13 via the opened front panel 13. Alternatively, atleast one door panel 18 can be pivotally mounted on and close the openedfront panel 13 as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The top panel 14 isattached to the tops of the front, rear and side panels 11,12,13. Theside panels 12 are connected to the rear panel 11 and the front panel 13with a single kind of detachable fastening devices 20. Each detachablefastening device 20 has a male member 22 and a female member 24 combineddetachably with each other. Accordingly, to prepare different kinds offastening devices for assembling the combination cabinet 10 isunnecessary, and time and cost for assembling and manufacturing thecombination cabinet 10 can be effectively reduced.

With reference to FIGS. 7 to 9, the male member 22,22A of eachdetachable fastening device 20,20A comprises a base 222, a mountingprotrusion 224 and at least one connecting block 226,226A. The base 222has a mounting side, a connecting side and two mounting holes 223. Themounting side is attached to a corresponding one of the front, rear andside panels 11,12,13. Preferably, the male members 22,22A of thefastening devices 20,20A are mounted on and may be embedded in the sidepanels 12. The connecting side is opposite to the mounting side. Themounting holes 223 are defined through the base 222 respectively neartwo ends of the base 222, and two fasteners, such as screws are mountedrespectively through the mounting holes 223 and screwed into thecorresponding panel 11,12,13 to securely mount the male member 22,22A onthe corresponding panel 11,12,13. The mounting protrusion 224 is formedon and protrudes from the mounting side of the base 222 and is embeddedin the corresponding panel 11,12,13. The mounting protrusion 224 hasmultiple engaging ribs 225 formed on the mounting protrusion 224. The atleast one connecting block 226,226A is formed on and protrudes from theconnecting side of the base 222. Preferably, a single connecting block226 or two connecting blocks 226A may be implemented. Each connectingblock 226,226A has a neck 227 and an enlarged head 228. The neck 227 isformed on and protrudes from the connecting side of the base 222 and hasa width. The enlarged head 228 is formed on the neck 227 and has a widthlarger than that of the neck 227.

The female member 24,24A comprises a base 242, a mounting protrusion 244and at least one connecting recess 246,246A. The base 242 has a mountingside, a connecting side and two mounting holes 243. The mounting side isattached to a corresponding one of the front, rear and side panels11,12,13. Preferably, the female members 24,24A are mounted on and maybe embedded in the front and rear panels 11,13. The connecting side isopposite to the mounting side. The mounting holes 243 are definedthrough the base 242 respectively near two ends of the base 242, and twofasteners, such as screws are mounted respectively through the mountingholes 243 and screwed into the corresponding panel 11,12,13 to securelymount the female member 24,24A on the corresponding panel 11,12,13. Themounting protrusion 244 is formed on and protrudes from the mountingside of the base 22 and is embedded in the corresponding panel 11,12,13.The mounting protrusion 244 has multiple engaging ribs 245 formed on themounting protrusion 244 to improve the combination of the female member24,24A and the corresponding panel 11,12,13. The at least one connectingrecess 246,246A is formed in the connecting side of the base 242 andrespectively holds the at least one connecting block 226,226A of acorresponding male member 22,22A inside. Preferably, a single connectingrecess 246 or two connecting recesses 246A may be implemented. Eachconnecting recess 246,246A has a length, an opening and two holdingflanges 247. The length of the connecting recess 246,246A is at leastdouble of that of the corresponding connecting block 226,226A. Theopening is defined in the connecting side of the base 242 and has twoinner edges facing to each other. The holding flanges 247 protruderespectively from the inner edges of the opening to define a gap betweenthe holding flanges 247. The gap has a width than that of the enlargedhead 228 of the corresponding male member 22,22A to hold the neck 227 ofthe corresponding male member 22,22A inside.

To connect the side panel 12 with the rear or front panel 11,13, theconnecting blocks 226,226A of the male members 22,22A on the side panel12 are inserted into the connecting recesses 246,246A in the femalemembers 24,24A on the rear or front panel 11,13 via the openings. Theside panel 12 is then moved downward to make the necks 227 of theconnecting blocks 226,226A on the male members 22,22A entering and beingheld in the gaps in the female members 24,24A, such that the side panel12 can be securely connected with the rear or front panel 11,13 with thefastening devices 20,20A. Accordingly, the front, rear and side panels11,12,13 can be combined with each other with the fastening devices20,20A to form a space for storing objects.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 10, to securely attach the top panel 14 tothe front, rear and side panels 11,12,13, multiple assembling blocks 15are mounted securely on the bottom face of the top panel 14. Eachassembling block 15 abuts with one of the front, rear and side panels11,12,13 and has a through hole 152 defined through the assembling block15. Each one of the front, rear and side panels 11,12,13 has at leastone assembling hole 17 defined in the panel 11,12,13 and aligning withthe through hole 152 of one of the assembling blocks 15 that abuts withthe panel 11,12,13. Multiple fastening rods 16 are mounted respectivelythrough the through holes 152 in the assembling blocks 15 on the toppanel 14 and respectively and securely into the assembling holes 17 inthe front, rear and side panels 11,12,13. Accordingly, the top panel 14can be securely attached onto the tops of the front, rear and sidepanels 11,12,13 with the assembling blocks 15 and the fastening rods 16.

In addition, the top panel 14 may further have multiple positioningholes 142 defined in the bottom face of the top panel 14. The front andrear panels 11,13 have multiple positioning rods 18 mounted on the topsof the front and rear panels 11,13 and held respectively in thepositioning holes 142 in the top panel 14. Accordingly, the top panel 14can be securely attached the front, rear and side panels 11,12,13 at adesired position.

With reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the male member 22B of eachdetachable fastening device 20B is connected with the female member 24Bof the detachable fastening device 20B in a dovetail manner. Preferably,the male member 22B comprises a base 222B and an elongated connectingblock 226B. The base 222B may be embedded in a corresponding panel11,12,13 and has a mounting side, a connecting side and two mountingholes 223B. The mounting side is attached to a corresponding panel11,12,13. The connecting side is opposite to the mounting side. Themounting holes 223B are defined through the base 222B respectively neartwo ends of the base 222B. Two fasteners, such as screws are mountedrespectively through the mounting holes 223B and screwed into thecorresponding panel 11,12,13 to securely mount the male member 24B onthe corresponding panel 11,12,13. The elongated connecting block 226B isformed on and protrudes from the connecting side of the base 222B. Theconnecting block 226B has a bottom formed on and protruding from theconnecting side of the base and a free side face opposite to the bottom.The connecting block 226B has a trapezoid cross section to make thewidth of the connecting block 226B gradually increasing from the bottomto the free side face.

The female member 24B comprises a base 242B and an elongated connectingprotrusion 241. The base 242B may be embedded in a corresponding panel11,12,13 and has a mounting side, a connecting side and two mountingholes 243B. The mounting side is attached to the corresponding panel11,12,13. The connecting side is opposite to the mounting side. Themounting holes 243B are defined through the base 242B respectively neartwo ends of the base 242B. Two fasteners, such as screws are mountedrespectively through the mounting holes 243B and screwed into thecorresponding panel 11,12,13 to securely mount the female member 24B onthe corresponding panel 11,12,13. The elongated connecting protrusion241 is formed on and protrudes from the connecting side of the base 242Band has connecting side and a connecting channel 246B. The connectingside is opposite to the connecting side of the base 242B. The connectingchannel 246B is defined in the connecting side of the connectingprotrusion 241, holds the connecting block 226B of a corresponding malemember 22B inside and has a bottom, a side opening, an end opening and awidth. The side opening is defined in the connecting side of theconnecting protrusion 241, and the end opening is defined in an end ofthe connecting protrusion 241. The width gradually increases from thebottom to the side opening to fit with the connecting block 226B on themale member 22B. With the engagement between the connecting block 226Band the connecting channel 246B, the male and female members 22B,24B canbe securely but detachably combined with each other. Accordingly, thepanels 11,12,13 can be combined with each other with the fasteningdevices 20B.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the presentinvention have been set forth in the foregoing description, togetherwith details of the structure and function of the invention, thedisclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail,especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts withinthe principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by thebroad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims areexpressed.

1. A combination cabinet comprising: a rear panel having a top and twoside edges; two side panels connected respectively to the side edges ofthe rear panel and each having a top and a side edge opposite to therear panel; a front panel attached to the side edges of the side panelsand having a top; and a top panel attached to the tops of the front,rear and side panels, wherein the side panels are connected to the rearpanel and the front panel with a single kind of detachable fasteningdevices; and each detachable fastening device has a male member and afemale member combined detachably with each other.
 2. The combinationcabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the male member of eachdetachable fastening device comprises a base having a mounting sideattached to a corresponding one of the front, rear and side panels, aconnecting side opposite to the mounting side and two mounting holesdefined through the base respectively near two ends of the base; amounting protrusion formed on and protruding from the mounting side ofthe base and having multiple engaging ribs formed on the mountingprotrusion; and at least one connecting block formed on and protrudingfrom the connecting side of the base, and each one of the at least oneconnecting block having a neck formed on and protruding from theconnecting side of the base and having a width; and an enlarged headformed on the neck and having a width larger than that of the neck; andthe female member of each detachable fastening device comprises a basehaving a mounting side attached to a corresponding one of the front,rear and side panels, a connecting side opposite to the mounting sideand two mounting holes defined through the base respectively near twoends of the base; a mounting protrusion formed on and protruding fromthe mounting side of the base and having multiple engaging ribs formedon the mounting protrusion; and at least one connecting recess formed inthe connecting side of the base and respectively holding the at leastone connecting block of a corresponding male member inside, and each oneof the at least one connecting recess having an opening defined in theconnecting side of the base and having two inner edges facing to eachother; and two holding flanges protruding respectively from the inneredges of the opening to define a gap between the holding flanges andhaving a width smaller than that of the enlarged head of thecorresponding male member to hold the neck of the corresponding malemember inside.
 3. The combination cabinet as claimed in claim 2, whereinthe top panel has a bottom face and multiple assembling blocks mountedon the bottom face of the top panel; each assembling block abuts withone of the front, rear and side panels and has a through hole definedthrough the assembling block; each one of the front, rear and sidepanels has at least one assembling hole defined in the panel andaligning with the through hole of one of the assembling blocks thatabuts with the panel; and multiple fastening rods mounted respectivelythrough the through holes in the assembling blocks on the top panel andrespectively and securely into the assembling holes in the front, rearand side panels.
 4. The combination cabinet as claimed in claim 3,wherein the top panel further has multiple positioning holes defined inthe bottom face of the top panel; and the front and rear panels havemultiple positioning rods mounted on the tops of the front and rearpanels and held respectively in the positioning holes in the top panel.5. The combination cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the malemember of each detachable fastening device comprises a base having amounting side attached to a corresponding one of the front, rear andside panels, a connecting side opposite to the mounting side and twomounting holes defined through the base respectively near two ends ofthe base; and an elongated connecting block formed on and protrudingfrom the connecting side of the base and having a bottom formed on andprotruding from the connecting side of the base; a free side faceopposite to the bottom; a trapezoid cross section; and a width graduallyincreasing from the bottom to the free side face; and the female memberof each detachable fastening device comprises a base having a mountingside attached to a corresponding one of the front, rear and side panels,a connecting side opposite to the mounting side and two mounting holedefined through the base respectively near two ends of the base; and anelongated connecting protrusion formed on and protruding from theconnecting side of the base and having a connecting side opposite to theconnecting side of the base; and a connecting channel defined in theconnecting side of the connecting protrusion, holding the connectingblock of a corresponding male member inside and having a bottom; a sideopening defined in the connecting side of the connecting protrusion; anend opening defined in an end of the connecting protrusion; and a widthgradually increasing from the bottom to the side opening.
 6. Thecombination cabinet as claimed in claim 5, wherein the top panel has abottom face and multiple assembling blocks mounted on the bottom face ofthe top panel; each assembling block abuts with one of the front, rearand side panels and has a through hole defined through the assemblingblock; each one of the front, rear and side panels has at least oneassembling hole defined in the panel and aligning with the through holeof one of the assembling blocks that abuts with the panel; and multiplefastening rods mounted respectively through the through holes in theassembling blocks on the top panel and respectively and securely intothe assembling holes in the front, rear and side panels.
 7. Thecombination cabinet as claimed in claim 6, wherein the top panel furtherhas multiple positioning holes defined in the bottom face of the toppanel; and the front and rear panels have multiple positioning rodsmounted on the tops of the front and rear panels and held respectivelyin the positioning holes in the top panel.
 8. The combination cabinet asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the male member of each detachable fasteningdevice is connected with the female member of the detachable fasteningdevice in a dovetail manner.
 9. The combination cabinet as claimed inclaim 8, wherein the top panel has a bottom face and multiple assemblingblocks mounted on the bottom face of the top panel; each assemblingblock abuts with one of the front, rear and side panels and has athrough hole defined through the assembling block; each one of thefront, rear and side panels has at least one assembling hole defined inthe panel and aligning with the through hole of one of the assemblingblocks that abuts with the panel; and multiple fastening rods mountedrespectively through the through holes in the assembling blocks on thetop panel and respectively and securely into the assembling holes in thefront, rear and side panels.
 10. The combination cabinet as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the top panel further has multiple positioning holesdefined in the bottom face of the top panel; and the front and rearpanels have multiple positioning rods mounted on the tops of the frontand rear panels and held respectively in the positioning holes in thetop panel.